Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Saw absolute tail end of a story on the telly a few weeks back about AP, seemed interesting.
Did some research, found this site!

Threw together a basic setup, with no idea at all what i was doing, though it seems to work.

There's 10 dithers (think thats the name) in the tank, they are my cheap expendable cycle fish.
Small # plants in the top (a cucumber a strawberry and many many seeds).

Fish went in Saturday (after 5 days water sitting stagnant to settle and 3 days of pumping), and none are dead yet (give me time).

Looking forward to expanding it over time, and working out what I am doing.

One important question though, the timber slabs on which the grow bed sit are treated with Copper Chrome Arsonate. Safe according to the CSIRO for playgrounds and stuff, but will it cause my fish or plants to become evil? There has been minimal rain so far, but need to know if leaching will cause me problems.

The less important question (many weeks of cycling yet), how many edible fishies would fit in my tank.

Oh, early days yet, but the plants have grown noticeably.

Nothing nice about arsenate, I would be worried about the leaching, great looking system though, look forward to watching it grow.

Personally, I would not use it over a fish tank or in combination with food production, but many do.

I recall a kit seller on the east coast uses and recommends the use of treated pine in thier kits to support the grow beds over sumps.

It is interesting that CSIRO say it is safe for playgrounds but treated pine can not be used in any construction in schools in QLD...

Maybe a coat of paint?

In general I think it's a question of having enough filtration to support the number of fish you have, but in a tank that small I don't know if you could grow a fish to eating size. How many gallons is it (60 maybe)? I've heard people usually harvest a fish when it has grown to between 1 and 2 lbs (thought I've yet to harvest any fish myself). Cool little set up!

I *think* the tank is 300 liters (I was so keen to start I didnt pay much attention )
Pump runs 24/7, the water level is about an inch below the surface. gravity makes the bed drain back into tank, and causes lots of bubbles, which I hope is sufficient aeration.

This is pretty much my prototype, everything bar the fishes is all from Bunnings, and came in at under $400 (Including the fish) . It's small scale on purpose, to minimise losses when I inevitably get something wrong.

This weekend I intend to add a dozen goldfish (the Dithers were 90 cents each, so cheap as), to increase the ammonia production. I'm hoping the bacteria for the Nitrite/Nitrate cycle will be enough by now to handle the extra output.

Also intend to add a 2nd same size growbed (there's only 50kg of pebbles in the current one), but have to work out another support first if the copper chrome arsonate is an issue.

If this one works out (to the point of harvesting vegetables), I intend to g somewhat nuts in the backyard. We have a garden thats 2 metres by 8 meters, where little grows due to very wet soil 90% of the time. My wife has always wanted to solve the issue with raised garden beds, and I am willing to compromise if there's fish under said beds.

If I go down the path of a bigger setup in the yard, this prototype tank would potentially become a fry hatchery.

1 week in and plants have pretty much doubled in size.
I put seeds in wednesday evenining, and 3 days later a few of the beans are sprouting.

Went back to Bunnings and got myself a 2nd growbed, just got to work out the plumbing and it will be ready to go after silicone has dried.

The water today is noticeably cloudier, pH nitrates, nitrites are all tolerable levels.
Any suggestions what might be discoloring the water?

My experience with treated wood over a fish tank was not a good one.
Water running off the treated wood into the fish tank killed some fish.
Not all were killed but enough for me to replace the treated wood with metal.

Hi Bonkybuts, i think the tub is 200L if i remember correctly. They are recycled so i personally wouldnt use it to grow vegies/fish in it. I also would not put treated timber over the FT. The water from the sides will cause algae to grow on the media too.

Shoot me a pm if you need any tips. Im in riverwood so not very far away

Hrm, i need lots of tips now then.

what can i use in place of the timber? figure galvanised iron is out, read here somewhere it leaches zinc.

How can i determine if the recycled plastic will cause issues (already on the edge of the wifes patience with the credit card and new hobby).

No issues with algae as yet, but the plumbing is my 1st ever attempt at plumbing, so figure aint to bad a start.

I bought a 2nd tub for growbed same size and shape as 1st, definitely want to replace the timber b4 filling it (50kg rokcs + water weights alot:))

Not sure if your credit card is made from recycled plastic.... but they have been known to leech badly.... from your bank account...

And thus can be hazardous to your health... and your relationship... as you may be close to finding out....

Look for anything that's HDPE, food safe.... and UV stabilised... by preference...

Just a thought, I have seen posts on BYAP using wheelie bins as FT (wife said NO, I am not to steal the garbage bin, i said i'd use the garden waste bin, she said its still no), wouldnt they have the same risks as el cheapo recycled plastic growbeds / FT?

They are made from recycled plastic too. You can get food safe bins but that would be a bit expensive too.

If you want i have a few blue barrels that i bought but havent used. They are food grade and cut long ways. I got them for $10 (100L) each and you can have them for that price. I have probably 4 and have some that are cut horizontally with a hole i am willing to let go for cheap. I will get a pic if you like.

Not sure it's safe to spend any more for a bit, wife's radar is beeping angrily
Anyway, I found a solution to the Copper Chrome arsonic timber (and only crushed the wifes fingers a little bit)
Found some lovely ag pipe / drainage pipe that supposedy can handle cars on it so 100kgs or pebble should be fine, the edges are outside the tank, so no leaching possible.
There was only 50kg of growbed, but as can be seen from the picture, a 2nd one magically got bought from Bunnings (it was an accident I swear), and will soon be full of lovely pebbles.
I sprinkled a silly amount of seeds in the GB, and plants are popping up everywhere, so will soon need more space.
My son also demonstrated to me the mesh over the top can support his weight for now .

My next project, which will require alot of coin, probably council approval, much wife worship, and many dead fish (though none have died yet incredibly) will involve excavating between 1 and 3 2mx1mx1.2m ponds (probably concrete and definitely sturdier grating), but that's for in the new year. At least for that i will have some lovely bacteria colonies in my current mini growbeds to kickstart.

Great little set up BB.

Your hooked you fool, but don't worry there is probably an AA (aquaponics anon) group in your neighborhood.
J